Steam-trap.



R. PRBER & S. GREER.

STEAM TRAP. AYPLIOATIDN FILED JAN. 2, 1908.

993,591 Patented May 30,1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT FREER AND SAMUEL GREER, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLARD T. HATCH, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

STEAM-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT FREER and SAMUEL GREER, both of Providence, county of Providence, and State of Rhode Island,

have invented certain new and useful Ima full, clear, and exact description thereof.

In steam-traps as heretofore constructed the discharge of water from the trap has been either through a single outlet of large area or through a series of small outlets centrally arranged about such large outlet.

IVllith such construction, as the water flows from the trap, a whirlpool or suction action is developed which tends to carry over the steam with the water, and in many cases the effect has been that the steam in flowing through would serve to hold back the water and prevent its discharge from the trap.

The present invention has for its object to overcome the objections referred to, and to this end one feature of the invention consists broadly speaking in decentralizing the discharge of water from the trap, and more specifically in providing means whereby the flow of water from the chamber of the trap will be through a restricted orifice or orifices located at one side of the discharge outlet of said trap.

The invention further consists in certain features of construction to be hereinafter de scribed and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a section through a steam-trap embodying our therethrough is a pipe or tube G which is closed at its inner end and provided within the trap body with one or more elongated slots 0 0 and also provided with one or more discharge slots 0 communicating with the chamber 1) in the head B. Preferably the pipe or tube C is detachably connected with the head B. In the construction shown the pipe 0 is provided at its outer end with a screw-thread 0 adapted to engage a corresponding thread formed in the boss 5 said pipe being also provided with a head 0 for the application of a wrench.

The communication between the chamber 5 and the outlet Z) is controlled by a differential valve d cl, these valves being secured to a common valve stem d The valve seats 6 e of the valves d d are formed integral with each other, both of said valve seats forming a part of a single valve casing (3 which valve casing is cletachably secured in posi-' tion in the head B. As shown in Fig. 2, the valve casing 6 projects through the projecting portion B of the head B, and the outer end of the valve casing is screw-threaded exteriorly to engage a corresponding screwthread formed in the projection or casing B. A lock-nut f serves to hold the valve casing in adjusted position.

Screwed into the outer open end of the valve casing e is a screw-plug g which is provided wit-h a central orifice g to receive the projecting end of the valve stem (Z Surrounding this projecting portion of the valve stem is a spiral spring it, one end of which spring bears against the screw-plug g and the other end bears against the valve d.

For operating the differential valve (Z (Z the usual levcrz' is pivoted at z" in the casing B, said lever being arranged to underlie the projecting lower end of the valve-stem (Z said lever being provided at its free end with the float 2' The pivoted end of the lever z is located in a chamber 6* formed by a partition 5, which partition separates said chamber 5 from the chamber 5. The chamber 5 is closed on all sides except for the opening in the head B through which the determined level, the lever z' under the action of the float i will serve to lift the valveon the differential area of the valve 03, so as stem d and with it the difierential valves d d against the action of the spring h and so that the water may flow out of the trap through the out-let b. By reason of the fact that the chamber 6 is closed by the partition 6 the water which enters said chamber through the opening for the lever 71 cannot reach the outlet 6, but is retained in said chamber. In flowing out of the trap therefore the water must first pass through the elongated slot or slots 0 into the pipe C and thence through the elongated slot or slots 0 into the chamber 6 and thence through the valves cl cl and the valve casing to the discharge outlet 6. By reason of the fact that the slots 0 are of restricted area and are located at one side of the discharge outlet, the fiow of water fromthe trap is decentralized and the whirlpool or sucking action prevented, whereby the water .is sufliciently separated from the steam and only the water is permitted tofiow out of the trap. When the level of the water in the trap has fallen to the proper point the differential valves 03 0? will be closed by the spring 72, or by the flow of the water acting to prevent further discharge from the trap. The parts are so constructed and arranged that said differential valves will be closed before the water has fallen'to the level of the pipe C and so that said pipe will always remain immersed in the water in the trap.

By reason of the fact that the pipe C is detachably secured to the head of the trap, said pipe may be readily removed at any time for cleaning or otherwise. As will'also be seen, the valves (Z d. and the valve casing (Z with the valve seats may likewise be readily removed whenever desired. If it be desired simply to remove the valves, all that is necessary tobe done is simply to unscrew the plug 9 when the valves with their connected valve stems may be readily removed from the valve casing and may likewise be conveniently replaced. If it be desired to also remove the valve casing, this may be done by loosening the lock-nut f and unscrewing the valve casing from the casing B. As will be obvious, the valves and valve casing may all be removed together and the valves subsequently removed from the casing by unscrewing the plug 9..

While we have shown the pipe C as provided with elongated slots 0, if desired said pipe may be provided with a series of perforations distributed lengthwise thereof in place of said slots.

IVhile it is preferred to employ thedifferential valve construction shown and described, for the reason that thereby the pressure tending to holdthe valve closed, and which is to be overcome by the float in ris ing, is operative only upon the differential area of the valve 0!, it is evident that so far as the main features of the invention are concerned a single Valve for controllingthe discharge may, if desired, be employed in place of said differential valve.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A steam-trap comprising a chamber and a discharge outletand provided with a V restricted orifice or orifices located near the bottom of said chamber and at one side of said discharge out-let, substantially. as described. i

2. In a steam trap, the combination, with the body of the trap, of'a pipe extending into the chamber thereof near the bottom of said chamber and provided with a restricted orifice or orifices, said pipe being detachably secured to said trap body, substantially as described.

5. In a steam-trap, the combination, with the discharge outlet and the controlling valve, of a valve casing projecting to the outside of the trap, said valve casing being independent of the discharge outlet and being detachably secured in position, substantially as described.

6. In a steam-trap, the combination, with the discharge outlet and the controlling valve, of a valve casing provided with a seat for the valve, said valve casing being independent of the discharge outlet and provided with a detachable head by the removal of which the valve may be removed from said casing, substantially as described.

7. In a steam-trap, the combination, with the discharge outlet and the controlling valve, of a valve casing provided with a seat for the Valve, said valve casing being-independent of the discharge. outlet and being detachably secured in osition and provided arranged to bear against said valve and 10 With a removable head substantially as deagainst said removable head, substantially scribeld. h b h as described.

8. n a steam-tra t e com inat-ion, Wit the discharge outl t and the controlling valve, of a valve casing independent of said J discharge outlet and provided with a seat Witnesses: for the valve, said valve casing being pro- W. H. TI-IURSTON, vided with a removable head, and a spring J. H. THURSTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

